Ariana Afghan Airlines is the largest airline in Afghanistan and is the country's national carrier. At its main base at Kabul International Airport, it provides connections with other countries but has been banned from the european Union.
History[]
Since it was set up in 1955, service was operated to Bahrain, India, Iran and Lebanon with a fleet of DC-3s. Pan American World Airways became a minor shareholder in 1957. By 1960 a fleet of three DC 3s and a single DC-4 linked Afghanistan to other countries. The airline had 650 employees by March 1970 and domestic services was was operated by Bakhtaran Alwatana for specific purpose. In the early October 1979, The airlines received their first widebody aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas DC-10-30 but was taken over by Bakhtaran.
During the Taliban regime, They limited their service to domestic including their fleet but in November 2001, The airline was grounded completely because of sanctions imposed by UN Security Council. After the downfall of Taliban, the airline resumed routes. In 2002, the government of India gave the airline three ex-Air India Airbus A300s. They extended their routes to Germany and Pakistan.
Banned in EU[]
Aria was mostly banned in in the European Union in March 2006 and could only fly Airbus A310 but was suddenly banned he entire fleet on the same year. Since the ban, they have been keeping updates on their ban.
Fleet[]
| Aircraft | In service | Passengers | Orders | Total of Passengers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A310 | 2 | 210 | - | 420 | - |
| Airbus A320 | 3 | 150
160 180 |
- | 490 | - |
| Boeing 737-400 | 2 | 142 | - | 284 | - |